The jaunty “Ethiopians” was cut from an album but tells a story we hear all over it just the same.

Track: “Ethiopians”
Album: Unreleased

During an introduction to “Ethiopians” John Darnielle says it was one of three songs recorded for Tallahassee that didn’t make the album. One of the others is the brutal “Alpha Chum Gatherer,” and like that one this one finds the Alpha Couple married and terrorizing each other.

I have mentioned this a whole bunch in this series but a song like “Ethiopians” really challenges the demand John Darnielle has made that no one ever insist anything cut from an album belongs there. I suppose I’ll grant that “Ethiopians” is at worst duplicative, as there’s nothing here you don’t already know about this duo. Even still, it’s an incredible track and the better of the two. You know you’re in a bad place when you want to “rub their noses in the ugly fact that we are still alive.” The Alpha Couple certainly goes to darker places than this by the end, but this is another story about how it feels to be in the bad times but not have enough power or self-respect to actually fully, really recognize that or demand to leave.